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"American Beauty/American Psycho" is a song by the Americanrock band Fall Out Boy. It was released on December 15, 2014, as the second UK radio single from their sixth studio album, American Beauty/American Psycho (2015). An accompanying music video was released. It was no. 15 on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart. A remix of the song features vocals by ASAP Ferg which was included in the remixed album Make America Psycho Again.

Recording[]

"American Beauty/American Psycho" was written by Fall Out Boy and produced by SebastiAn. Bassist Pete Wentz commented, "It's a little bit wrong but it's the right thing for us to do. Once we got that song and a few others, it really felt like the [album] came together as a body of work." It samples Motley Crüe's song "Too Fast for Love". The song is vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump's favorite track from American Beauty/American Psycho; he stated, "It's the right level of artistically interesting, but also just fun."

Release[]

While receiving a radio premiere in the UK a month earlier, the track was officially released worldwide on the same day as the promotional single "The Kids Aren't Alright", to coincide with the release of the album pre-order, track listing and album cover. Only in the UK, it was commissioned to radio as the album's second single.

Music video[]

American_Psycho

American Psycho

Music Video

The song's accompanying music video was released on the same day, featuring a ballerina and a peculiar child, Jake Karlen (who is on the album cover), with his face with American flag painted in black. Filmed with a gritty, shaky cinematography, the ballerina represents the "American Beauty" but is really the "American Psycho" and the boy represents the "Psycho" but is really the "Beauty". In the beginning the boy tries to destroy a music box with a ballerina in it, but he is unable to break it. The ballerina dances for a while before a group of men appear (the men possibly representing the boy's trouble (e.g. depression, anxiety, etc.) and issues). The ballerina gracefully takes down each man, hurting the boy who eventually starts spitting up blood. In the end the members of the band come in to remove the bodies. Before the screen fades, another boy can be seen coming to the same music box, representing a repeated cycle.

Lyrics[]

[Chorus]
She's an American beauty
I'm an American psycho
She's an American beauty
I'm an American, I'm an American
American Psycho
I'm an American, I'm an American
I'm, I'm, I'm an American psycho

[Verse 1]
I think I fell in love again
Maybe I just took too much cough medicine
I'm the best worst thing that hasn't happened to you yet
The best worst thing
You take the full, full truth, then you pour some out
You take the full, full truth, then you pour some out
And you can kill me, kill me or let God sort ‘em out
And you can kill me, kill me or... whoa

[Chorus]
She's an American beauty
I'm an American psycho
She's an American beauty
I'm an American, I'm an American
American Psycho
I'm an American, I'm an American
I'm, I'm, I'm an American psycho

[Verse 2]
I wish I dreamt in the shape of your mouth
But it's your thread count I really care about
Stay up till the lights go out
Stay up, Stay up
You take the full, full truth, then you pour some out
You take the full, full truth, then you pour some out
And as we're drifting off to sleep
All those dirty thoughts of me
They were never yours to keep, keep, whoa

[Bridge]
Altar boys, altered boys
We’re the things that love destroys
(I'm an American... I'm an American)
You, me, us, them
We’re just resurrection men
(I'm an American...I'm an American)
Us, we were only meant, to make you live again
(I'm an American...I'm an American)
Us, we were pity sex, nothing more and nothing less
(I'm an American)

[Chorus]
She's an American beauty
I'm an American psycho
She's an American beauty
I'm an American, I'm an American
American Psycho
I'm an American, I'm an American
I'm, I'm, I'm an American psycho


Commercial performance[]

The song debuted at No. 147 on the UK Singles Chart, reached No. 89 in its third chart week (week ending January 24, 2015) and peaked at No. 61 the week after. It also debuted at No. 15 on US Hot Rock Songs on the strength of digital downloads.

Charts[]

Chart (2014) Peak

position

Belgium (Ultratip Flanders) 83
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 61
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard) 15

Trivia[]

References[]

Navigation[]

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